Tag Archives: cocktails

This is not a hotel bar. We repeat, this is not a hotel bar. According to Eater, there is a vague and long off plan to rent out the rooms above the bar, but at present, the name is strictly for effect.

Getting in: Although Hotel Delmano is nondescript from the street with no signage, once inside, one finds oneself in a quaint, mysterious and enchanting room. The front door is barred by a chain as the main entrance is blocked by a bouncer on the side. Don’t be alarmed if they ask you to wait outside.

Vibe/layout: The elegantly curved marble bar serves as the centerpiece for this picture-perfect two-room hideaway, adorned with opulent chandeliers, smoky vintage mirrors and black-and-white portraits of old, important-looking people. The bartenders sport suspenders and frequently climb up the wooden ladder behind the bar to fetch bottles on the high up shelves. The cushy banquettes and secluded nooks make this saloon the perfect place for a date night or for catching up with a friend or small group.

Getting in: On a strip of Little Italy mostly known for its red-sauce Italian ‘straunts and cannoli vendors, The Mulberry Project hides from sight, behind a recessed red door below street level. Reservations for the backyard are recommended and on weekends a doorman will stand outside past 10pm.

Vibe/layout: This speakeasy is stylish without being pretentious. The interior is small, long and narrow with a few choice black leather booths along one wall and bright red metal bar stools at the bar. The bright crimson mural created by Kurtis Kulig (aka LoveMe at the Ace Hotel) highlights the speakeasy’s focal point, the bar, transforming it into a “stage” for cocktail craftsmanship. The dim lighting and color scheme, along with the industrial lamps dangling from the low ceiling, illuminate the energy and focus of this speakeasy: cocktails. In the summer, the back graffiti-decorated garden and patio is open (and is AMAZING).

Drinks: Order a custom-crafted cocktail. Period. I chose the ingredients of my drink from the chalkboard menu, my poison, desired flavors (sweet, spicy, sour, etc) and a selection of fresh fruit, et voila! My vodka-based mango cocktail with a bit of fizz was delicious! The combinations will vary from day-to-day and bartender to bartender, but the cocktails are all beautifully executed.